Common Core State StandardL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.

News Video for: 04/16/2018

The complex debate over killer robots continues

One way or another, robots are coming to the battlefield. The debate is over whether they should be pulling triggers. Some autonomous weapons already exist in the field. Many U.S. naval ships, for example, carry cannons that will shoot down incoming missiles without any human input. The U.S. military is now allowed to develop whatever autonomous systems it wants. It just can't deploy any of them unless "human judgment" is still involved.

Class discussion: Should nations, including the United States, continue to develop “killer robots”? Why or why not? Could soldiers lose control of their autonomous weapons? Do you think these computerized weapons systems would be more or less likely than humans to make mistakes and attack the wrong target? How often are civilians killed in military conflicts? Are civilians ever intentionally targeted?